Tempering means for shielding the bearings of centrifugal compressors



July 22, 1952 W. H. CHURCH ET AL TEMPERING MEANS FOR SHIELDING THE BEARINGS OF CENTRIFUGAL COMPRESSORS Filed Oct. 28, 1948 MAX FIG.2

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INVENTORS WILLEAM .H. CHURCH HAEBERLEIN Patented July 22, 1952 COMPRES SORS TEMPER/ING MEANS FOR SHIELD ING 'THE BEARINGS OF CENTRIFUGAL vWilliam H. Church, Jersey City, andMax Haeberlein, Maplewood, N. J assignors to Worthington Pump and Machinery Corporation, Harrison, N. J a corporation of Delaware Ap nm on w e 28 1948 sc am-56 94 .jIZhis invention relates to'centrifugal compressors and, more particularly the means for shielding the inboard and outboard bearings of a centrifugal compressor from extreme temperature conditions due to their proximity to the compresss r s-v. l v

Thelconditions of service under which a centrifugal compressor will operate may varyfrom 4 Claims. (01. 230-209) +1509. F. to 300 F. at thev suction and from v.

-.-.50' Rite 400 F. at the discharge'of the compressors.-.The bearings for the impeller shaft of the compressor, being in close proximity to the casing, will be adversely aifected by the extreme temperature conditions of the compressor operating temperatures. l

.It is an object of the present invention to .utili zegas compressed by the compressor, taken from suitable points in the compressor casing and delivered about the compressor shaft between the shaft bearings and the end compressing stages of -the -eompressor'to shield or protect the bear ings from the extreme temperature conditions occasioned' by t e compressor operating temperature.

With these and other objects in view, as may appear from the accompanying specification, the invention consists of various features of construction and combination of parts, which will be first described in connection with the accompanying drawings, showing a tempering means for shieldingthe bearings of centrifugal compressors of a preferred form embodying the invention, and the features forming the invention will be specifically pointed out in the claims.

1; In the drawings:

- Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through the compressor showing the bearing shielding means applied thereto.

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail section illustrating the manner in which the protecting gas is distributed about the shaft.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, a centrifugal compressor of any approved type is shown in longitudinal section and it includes a casing l in which are mounted a plurality of compression stages indicated at 2, each of which include a centrifugal compressing impeller 3. The impellers 3 are mounted upon and rotated by an impeller shaft 4 which is rotatably supported by suitable bearing structures 5 and 6. The inboard bearing 5 is located at the suction end of the compressor and in relatively close proximity to the suction inlet 1 of the first stage impeller 3, while the outboard bearing 6 is located at the discharge end of the compressor.

v'I 'he conditions under which centrifugal conipressors operate vary widely over temperature ranges, in some conditions operating at' suction pressures as low as -150 E. and at others to temperatures as high as 300 F. at the suction, while the temperatures .at the discharge end vary from F. to 400 F. These wide temperature ranges adversely affect the bearing structures so that it is desirable to in a measure equalize the temperatures at both the suction and discharge ends of the compressor, about the impeller shaft 4, for shielding the bearing structures from the extreme temperature conditions of compressor operation.

For this purpose, means are provided for taking relatively cool gas from any predetermined point within the compressor casing and delivering it about the impeller shaft 4 between the outboard bearings and the final or'discharge compression stage of the compressor and to take relatively hot gas from a predetermined point within the compressor casing and deliver it about the impeller shaft '4 at a point between the inboard bearing structure 5 and the first stage impeller 3 ofthe compressor;

In the drawings a conduit in is shown as having its inlet opening into the first compression stage of the compressor at a point in proximity to the discharge of the" first stage impeller 3 with its discharge end It opening into. a ditstributor or lantern gland, 12. The distributor or lantern gland I2 is mounted about the shaft 4 between the outboard bearing 6 and the final stage impeller 3 .of the compressor and thus relatively cool gasis fed aboutthe shaft 4 atthis point to dissipate or counteract the heat of the high temperature gas leaking along the shaft 4 to shield the outboard bearing 6 from the high temperature of such gas. A second conduit I4 is shown as having its inlet end I5 opening into the discharge passage of the compressor and its outlet end opening into a lantern gland IS. The lantern glands I2 and 16 are of identical construction and are more clearly illustrated in the enlarged Figure 2. These lantern glands or distributors I2 and I6 have annular passages l1 formed in their outer perimeters into which the gas is delivered from their respective conduits l0 and I4. A plurality of radially extending circumferentially spaced openings I8 connect the annular passage H with an inner annular passage [9. The annular passage !9 formed in the distributor or lantern gland [6 extends about the shaft 4. If it is so desired the inner surface of the lantern gland may be While in the drawings the inlet of the pipe in is shown connected to the dischargei'o'f the first stage of the multi-stage compressorand the'in-' let of the conduit I4 is shown connected to the discharge passage of the compressor, it is to be, understood that these inlets, may be connected at v any suitable stage or point within the compressor casing to provide tempering gas at the temperature desired and best suited to shield the respective bearings from the extreme temperatures of the compressor operation.

It will be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific construction or arrangement of parts shown, but that they may be widely modified within the invention definedby the claims.

What is claimed is:

1,. In a centrifugal compressor including a casing having a suction inletand, a discharge outlet, an impeller shaft, an inboard bearing for said impeller shaft, an outboard bearingfor said 'impellershaft, of a conduit opening into said casing at a point in proximity to the suction inlet, a distributor on said shaft between' said'outboard bearing and the discharge of the compressor, said conduit opening into said distributor for delivering relatively cool gas from within the compressor casing to said distributor to'form a temperature shield for said outboard bearing.

2.' Means for shielding bearings of a centrifugal compressor from extreme temperatures ofthe compressor operating conditionswhich comprises in combination with a centrifugal compressor in.- cluding a casing having a suction inlet and a discharge outlet, an impeller shaft, inboard and outboard bearings for said impeller shaft, of a conduit opening into said casing at a point in proximity to the discharge outlet of said casing, a distributor on-said impeller shaft between the inboard-bearing and the suction of the casing, said conduit opening into said distributor for deliverjingrelatively hot gas from within the compressorcasing to said distributor to form a temperature shield for said inboard bearing. 3. Means for shielding bearings of a centrifugal compressor from extreme temperatures of the compressor operating conditions which comprises in combination with a centrifugal compressor incharge outlet, an impeller shaft, inboard and outboard bearings for said impeller shaft, of a conduit opening into said casing at a point in proximity to the discharge outlet of said casing, a distributor on said impellershaftv between the inboard bearing and the suction ofthe casing, said conduit opening into said distributor for delivering relatively hot gas from within the compressor casing to said distributor to form a temperature shield for said inboard bearing, a second conduit 1' openinginto' said casing at a point in proximity to the suction inlet, a distributor on said shaft between said-outboard bearing and the discharge of the casing, said second conduit opening into said second distributor for delivering relatively cool gas from within the compressor casing to said distributor to form a temperature shield for said outboard bearing.

4. Means for shielding bearings of a centrifugal compressor from extreme temperatures of the compressor operating conditions whichcomprises in combination with a centrifugal compressor including a casing having a suction inlet and a discharge outlet, an impeller shaft, inboard and outboard bearings for said impeller shaft, of a conduit opening into said casing at a point in proximity to the discharge outlet of said caslngta distributor on said impeller shaft between the .inboard bearing and the suction of the casing, said conduit openinginto said distributor for delivering relatively hot gas-from within the compressor casing to said distributor to form a temperature shield for saidinboard bearing, a second conduit REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: v

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 808,608 Kretzschman Dec. 26, 1905 980,684 Schwade Jan. 3, 1911 1,123,364 Peterson Jan. 5, 1915 1,328,285 McClave J an. 20, 1920 2,221,225 Weis Nov. 12, 1940 2,399,865' Halford May '7, 1946 

